News
June 8, 2016
Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 13 authorizes the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) to enter into contracts for representation of indigent persons by attorneys working on various types of cases, including representation of indigent respondents facing involuntary emergency judicial…
June 1, 2016
George T. “Buck” Lewis III was awarded the William Reece Smith, Jr. Special Services to Pro Bono Award last month at the American Bar Association Equal Justice Conference. Lewis, a lawyer at Baker Donelson, was an inaugural member of the Access to Justice Commission, part of an ongoing Supreme…
May 31, 2016
Lipscomb University will host the Tennessee Supreme Court this week as part of the American Legion Auxiliary’s Volunteer Girls State program, which gives high school female leaders the opportunity to experience and learn about civic engagement.The Court will hear two cases at the session on campus…
May 26, 2016
May 20, 2016
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission will consider five applicants when it meets June 14, 2016 in Nashville to select nominees for the Chancery Court vacancy in the 20th Judicial District – Davidson County.The vacancy was created by the announcement earlier this year by Chancellor Carol McCoy that…
May 19, 2016
For the sixteenth year in a row, the Tennessee Supreme Court will hold oral arguments before 600 high school students next week at American Legion Boys State in Cookeville.The Court session is just one element of weeklong programs students participate in to learn through firsthand experience how…
May 12, 2016
All in-house counsel members working in the state that do not have a Tennessee law license must register with the Board of Law Examiners before July 1 or face discipline and a bar examination in order to continue practicing in Tennessee.The July 1 deadline marks the end of an amnesty period granted…
May 12, 2016
The Supreme Court’s Indigent Representation Task Force will make stops in Johnson City and Knoxville as it continues its listening tour across the state to hear from anyone interested in sharing thoughts about representation for those who are accused of a crime and unable to afford an attorney.The…
May 11, 2016
Court of Appeals Judge Neal McBrayer was one of several speakers who visited Capshaw Elementary School in Cookeville to discuss personal experiences with severe food allergies.Gov. Bill Haslam declared May 8-14 Food Allergy Awareness Week. The community started a 1EVERY3 awareness campaign because…
May 10, 2016
The Tennessee Supreme Court has upheld a White County man’s DUI conviction, ruling that the officer who approached a man’s parked vehicle for a welfare check acted consistently with federal and state constitutional principles and within his community caretaking function.Kenneth McCormick was…
May 10, 2016
A marker was recently placed just inside the doors of the Tennessee Supreme Court Building in Nashville, officially noting the building’s place on the National Register of Historic Places.
The building celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2012. The Nashville architectural firm of Marr and Holman…
May 9, 2016
The Tennessee Supreme Court has reversed a Court of Appeals decision concerning the cleanup of a landfill that has been discharging pollutants into a Maury County lake. From 1981 to 1993, ACC, LLC operated a landfill in Maury County, Tennessee, where it disposed of aluminum recycling wastes from a…
May 2, 2016
Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Sharon Lee said Monday she could sum up the state of the judiciary in one word: Great.
Of course, she went on to use a few more words to give details to several hundred Rotary Club members who attended Monday’s weekly meeting at the Wildhorse Saloon in…
April 27, 2016
The location for the first stop of the Indigent Representation Task Force statewide listening tour has been moved to the Vasco Smith Building in Memphis. It previously was scheduled to be in the Criminal Justice Center.The details for Thursday’s listening tour stop:Thursday, April 28, 2016 3:00 p.m…
April 26, 2016
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission is now accepting applications for the Chancery Court judge vacancy in the 20th Judicial District – Davidson County. Chancellor Carol McCoy has informed the governor that she will retire effective September 1.Any interested applicant must be a licensed attorney who…
April 26, 2016
More than 1,000 people packed the house in Mifflin, Tennessee Monday, April 25 for Justice Roger A. Page’s ceremonial swearing-in with Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam.
The overflowing crowd in the small rural town heard remarks from the governor, Justice Page, as well as several other judges and local…
April 21, 2016
The Tennessee Court of Appeals has restructured how it assigns cases to panels, providing more rotation of judges on cases from different parts of the state.All cases before the Court of Appeals are considered by panels of three judges. Under the new approach, cases that are submitted on briefs…
April 20, 2016
The Indigent Representation Task Force has announced a series of statewide listening tours to hear from those interested in sharing their thoughts on indigent defense in Tennessee. The first two stops will be next week in West Tennessee.The Task Force will convene in Memphis on April 28 and again…
April 19, 2016
The Tennessee Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Nashville Friday in several criminal cases and one civil case. Oral arguments will begin at 9:30 a.m. for the three morning cases and, after a break, will resume at 1 p.m. for the remaining two cases.The cases the Court will hear:State v.…
April 18, 2016
The newest member of the Court of Criminal Appeals was confirmed Monday night during a joint session of the Tennessee General Assembly. J. Ross Dyer of Memphis became the first CCA judge to go through the confirmation process enacted earlier this year.
Judge Dyer, 43, was appointed by Gov. Bill…